Buffing wheel and method of manufacture



Dec. 2l, 1937. 1 F wHn-E 4 2,102,867

` BUFFING WHEEL AND METHOD 0F MANUFACTURE Filed Nov. 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z4 fm/ l nu e) De'c. 2l, 1937.

J. F. WHITE BUFFING WHEEL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed Nov. 5, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dee. 2,1, 1937 :PATENT OFFICE BUFFING WHEEL AND UFAC METHOD F 'MAN- TURE John F. white, loominmmm.

Application November 5, 1936, Serial No. 109,231

11 calma xpresentwinvention pertains to certain features of improvement and benet and advantage in fabric and similar buillng-wheels and their vmethods of production, one of the leading aims or prime purposes of the invention being' come apparent from an understanding of the structural features and functional characteristics of the improved wheel and the steps incident to itsV production as presented in the following detailed description which should be read in connection with the accompanying illustrations in the associated drawings wherein used ln making the new builing-wheel;

' Figure 2 illustrates the manner of making an endless fabric-member from such a strip composed of overlying layers of the fabric which are creased longitudinally centrally and also charged with a suitable adhesive or cement along their lengthwise central portions;

Figure 3 presents the manner of crimping such an endless body to provide around fabric-element transversely fiuted or corrugated;

Figure-4 shows the fabric-element after. a conning ring has been applied thereto and the `lateral or side portions of the fabric have been folded over parallel to one another;

Figure .5 portrays complementary dies for pressing and corrugating the inner portion of such open-center, fabric, bufling-wheel'member;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale on the curved line 6 6 of Figure 8;v

Figure 9 isa face view of an endless., multilayer fabric-band perforated after formation into 55 endless condition.

Figure 1 isa face view of a fragment of a. centrally-perforated, bias, textile-fabric strip In carrying out the novel and improved method of manufacturing the new buiiing-wheels and the fabric elements or members entering into vtheir construction, the rst step in forming such fabric Vparts'is to provide an endless fabric-band Ii de- 5 sirab'ly on the bias and of appropriate width, for example, of about 9% inches, as by cutting a bias strip of cotton-cloth to correct length and rendering it'endless by stitching or otherwise fastening its ends together. l 4

Such endless fabric-band is applied to a pair of suitably-spaced, parallel rollers or drums I2, I2, one or both of which may be power or hand rotated to drive the band around its endless path.

A long strip of bias cotton-fabric I3 of approximately the same Width as the band II is per-- forated or slit at intervals along its longitudinal center line 'at spaced points I4, I4, suchholesA I being aboutone inch long land one-quarter inch wide with spaces between them of about veeighths inch.

1f desired, the longitudinal center-line of the endless-band I I may be apertured in like manner, such holes in the strip or band or both being provided for the purpose of facilitating the subsequent bending or folding of the fabric-members along such middle lines. One end of such centrally-apertured strip I3 is attached to the endless-band Il in any approved or convenient manner, and, when the rollers or drums I2, I2 are rotated and the band II caused to travel around them, as will be readily understood, such fabric-strip I3 is Wound thereon in aspiral manner until about ten overlying layers thereof have been applied thereto, all as illusv 35 trated in Figure 2. During such winding of the fabric-strip thereon, a narrow, V-shapedroller I5, by pressing against the center-line portion of the strip indents it in some degree to aid in its later folding along such longitudinal crease.

Also during such application of the strip to the endless traveling band, a roller I6 in contact with its central, length-wise zone applies a layer of cement thereto about one inch wide, the supplyV of such cement being contained in a reservoir or receptacle I1 into which the applying roller Ilv dips.

Whereas the` cement-charged, convoluted, creased, endless fabric-member may be made in the manner indicated, it is preferable, however, to have a rubber-belt I Il encircle the rollers or drums I2, I2,`on which belt the endless fabric-` band Ii is mounted, the belt affording added sup- P011; -for the fabric-strip while it is undergoing application under moderate strain and while it is being charged with the cement.

The cement referred to may be of any suitable character, but it has been found that the following is well adapted for this purpose.

One quart measure of zinc-oxide is dissolved in one quart of water making a thin paste, and to this is added one quart of latex, whereupon the compound is mixed with one gallon of sodium silicate and after standing about' twelve hours this will be a creamy solution,

As soon as the desired number of layers of the textile-strip 'have been thus Awound into endless form over the inner endless-band, the combined bandand wound strip are removed as a unit from the drums or rollers I2, I2 and placed over a suitable revoluble wheel I8 havingtransverse grooves i9, 'I9 across its face, which gives the wheel the appearance of a widespur-gear.

While such grooved wheel is rotated intermittently or step-by-step by hand or by power, the overlying layers of fabric are forced, tucked or gathered into the successive, parallel surface grooves of the wheel either by hand or by a handoperated or power-actuated blade or bar 2| which may be raised and then lowered into the grooves as the latter are brought successively and individually into register therewith by the interrupted rotation of the wheel, and,-V in order that the tucking or folding of the cloth into one groove may not withdraw that previously pleated into the next preceding groove, a second blade or bar 22 occupies such latter groove while the member 2l is feeding the fabric layers into the next groove or pocket, and so the indicated procedure is followed until all of the grooves have been filled by the fabric, it being understood, of course, that the length of the endless-band il and the wound layers thereon is such as to extend just entirely around the wheel following the contour of all of the grooves.

Upon the completion of this fabric-gathering` operation around its middle section, we have a round body of the fabric layers which is fluted or corrugated by reason of those portions thereof in the forming or shaping grooves and then an endless, flat, metal ring 23 is applied centrally over such fabric-member, the combined cloth and ring are removed from. the grooved formingwheel, and the layers of fabricextending equally from both/sides of the confining, metal ring are then folded outwardly into parallelism, as shown in Figure 4, the faces of the outermost fabric layeror stratum being brought into contact with one another.

While in this open-center condition, the partially-completed bufling-wheel fabric-element is placed between two matching dies 24 and 25 each of which on its face toward the companion die has spaced recesses 26 with intervening projec- 'tions 2'I with the recesses of each in register with the projections of the other, whereupon the two complementary dies are forced toward one another, thereby corrugating the inner cementcharged portion of the fabric and also correspondingly corrugating the inner metal-ring, which, of course, is covered by the fabric on both of its sides. 1

In order that this fabric-member may be properly centered with relation to the dies, one of them is provided with a central, round portion 28 of substantially the size of the hole in, and

adapted to receive, the fabric-member, and the other die has a complementary, central recess amasar 29 adapted to receiver such part 28 when the dies are brought together.

In thus corrugating the fluted or pleated inner, circular portion of the ring-like fabricbody, no attempt is made to make the corrugations coincide with any particular folds of the fabric, the initial or preliminary iluting on the externally-grooved wheel being zmerely for the purpose of gathering in the excess fabric at the inner part of the member.

When the cement-laden, inner, annular zone of the fabric is corrugated in the manner indicated between the companion dies, the confining,

metal ring 23 is also likewise crimped or deformed.

"The combined fabric and metal ring bungwheel element is removed from between the dies upon their separation and the cement is allowed to harden or set, the wavy metal-ring holding the fabric-layers in their corrugated condition during such setting of the cement.

Having provided a number of such fabric, bufllng-Wheel members, characterized 30, 30, they are assembled in sidewise registered relation on the intertting ngers 3|, 3l of a pair of complementary hub-members 32, 32 and held clamped between them by 'a screw or bolt 33 detachably holding them pressed against one another, as indicated in Figures 6, 7, and 8, with the hardened corrugati'ons of the fabric-parts in register or more or less out of register, but in either case providing for satisfactory ventilation between such fabric-components (see Figure 6),

one, at least, of the hub-members having apertures 34, 34 for the admission of cooling air to ,the corrugation conduits or channels.

When such a complete bufilng-wheel is rapidly revolved and the article to be polished is applied to its outer surface, the air entering* through the apertures 34, 34 and passing out through the corrugation channels into the bodies of the fabric-members maintains them at a temperature which precludes burning, charring, hence unduly rapid wear.

As will be readily understood by those skilled in this art, this invention, defined in the appended claims, which should be interpreted as generically as the state of the prior art permits, is not limited to the precise details set forth and many minor or major modifications may be resorted to without departure from the. heart and essence of the invention and without the loss or sacrifice of any of its material benefits and advantages,

the dimensions given and the cement compcsition specified, for example, being subject to change as circumstances dictate.

Instead of providing the fabric-strip I3 with a row of longitudinally-spaced perforations or apertures prior to Vwinding it into endless form with superposed layers, a textile-fabric strip without such perforations may be thus wound into the specified endless shape and then perforated, as shown in Figure 9, in which case the corresponding perforations of the several superimposed strata are in register, and when such an endless fabric member is gathered or corrugated as indicated and bent around the enoirclingconning, metal ring, the material at opposite ends of the perforations or slots is merely brought ltogether without overlapping which result will not necessarily be attained if the fabric-strip is iirst perforated and then wound into endless form.

The importance of this procedure resides in the fact that it assures an even distribution of the cloth on thevring and cosquently extending Although the use of the endless fabric-band II has been referred to and the attachment of the forward end of the fabric-strip I3 thereto,

this is not essential, inthat the part II may be done away with and the advance end of strip I3 attached to the endless rubber-belt I0 by the use of gummed paper or otherwise, which paper can be easily removed when desired, the rubberbelt preventing the cloth from crawling as it is being wound and when cut in straight strips requiring litle if any trimming.

In order to facilitate the removal of the iinished, endless-member from the two drums or rollers I2, I2 and to aid in instituting the production of a new memberA thereon, one ofsuch drums I2 may bemounted on a manually-operable eccentric bearing allowing the drum to be adjusted toward and from the other drum, or any other suitable means may be substituted for the same purpose.

' Iclaim:

l'. In the making of a textile-fabric wheel member, the steps of forming a fabric-strip into an endless element of overlying fabric layers, gathering the longitudinal central section of such element into transverse folds, applying -a round retaining-ring around the outside of the longi- Cal tudinaily gathered center of said element, fold- .ing the vfabric over opposite'sides of said ring outwardly into substantial parallelism, corrugating laterally at least the inner section of such gathered portion of said open-center fabric-member and said ring, applying cement to the corrugated part Yof said fabric priorto the corrugating operation, and permitting said cement to harden thus permanently maintaining such section of the bufiing-wheel member in corrugated condition.

2. The method presented in claim 1 in which the first step specified therein is performed by making an endless fabric-band, attaching an end of said fabric-strip to .said band,A and causing said band t travel around its endless path, thereby applying said fabric-strip thereto in overlying layers. v

3. The method presented in claim 1 in which the cement is applied to thecentral longitudinal zone of said fabric-strip during its winding into endless form.

4.In the making of a textile-fabric, builngwheel member, the steps of attaching an end of a fabric-strip to an endless band, feeding said band around its endless path, thereby winding said strip thereon in superposed layers, creasing said strip along its longitudinal center line during such winding, said strip having longitudinally-spaced apertures therethrough along said center line, ap-

' plying cement. alongthe lengthwise center zone of said strip prior to completion of the winding of the strip, gathering the longitudinal central section of said endless .fabric-element into trans- 0 verse folds, applying a round retaining-ring garound the outside of the longitudinally-gathered rcenter of said element, foldingV the fabric over opposite sides ofsaid ring outwardly into substantial parallelism, corrugating laterally at least the in ner section of such gathered portion of said open-center fabric-element and the ring.v and permitting said cement to harden.

5. The method of making a. plurality of textilefabric buing-wheel members in accordance with the procedure presented in claim l and making a bufling wheel therefrom by securing said members together in register side `byside in a manner to permit cooling air to flow outwardly through passages provided by the corrugated, cement-hardened parts of the members to cool the wheel during its operation of buing. l

6. An open-center bufiing-wheel textile-fabric member comprising in combination a confiningring, a plurality of overlying textile-fabric layers extended through, folded over opposite sides of, and circularly confined by, said ring, the parts of said layers adjacent to said ring being gathered 'to absorb fullness, the inner gathered portion of said open-center member being hard and permanently transversely corrugated to provide Ventilating passages. A

7. In a textile-fabric bufng-wheei, the combination of a plurality of open-center, textile-fabric l members arranged side by side in registration,

'and means to hold said members'in the specified relation, each of said members comprising in combination a conning-ringa plurality of overlying textile-fabric layers extended through, folded outwardly over oppositesides of, and circularly confined by, said ring, the parts of said layers adjacent to said ring being gathered to absorb fullness, the inner gathered yportion of each said fabric-member being hard and permanently transversely corrugated to provide Ventilating passages.

8. vA'n open-center bufi'ing-wheel textile-fabric member comprising in combination a wavy coniining-ring, a plurality of overlying textile-fabric `,layers extended through, folded over opposite sides of, and circularly confined `by, said ring, the parts of said layers adjacent to said ring being gathered to absorb fullness, the inner gathered portion of said open-center member being hard and permanently fluted on at least one side to provide Ventilating passages.

9. AIn a textile-fabric buing-wheel, the combination of a plurality of open-center, textile-fabric members arranged side by side in registration,

and means to hold said members' in/'the specified l relation, each of said members comprising in combination a wavy4 confining-ring, a plurality of overlying textile-fabric layers extended through, folded Voutwardly over opposite sides of, and circularly confined by, said ring, the parts of said layers adjacent to said ring being gathered to absorb fullness, the inner gathered portion of each of said fabric-membersl being ,hard and permanently transversely fiuted at least on one side to provide radial Ventilating passages.

10. In the making of a textile-fabric buflingwheel member, the steps of forming a fabric-strip intol an endless element of overlying fabric layers, gathering the longitudinal central section of such element transversely, folding the fabric over upon Y of a textile-fabric bufiingi wheel member, the steps of forming a 'fabric-strip 4 amuseer:y

int an endless element of overlying fabric layers, gathering the longitudinal central section of such element transversely, folding the fabric over upon itself along its central longitudinal line into substantial parallelism, fluting laterally at least the inner section ofat least one side of such gathered portion, applying cement to the fluted part of .said

fabric prior to the uting operatiom'permitting said cement to harden, and applying means to said fabric prior to said cement application to retain the iluting in said fabric during the hardening of said cement.

JOHN F. WHITE. 

